Filling for a 5 year old under GA?

[LadyPenelope]

Our dentist has told me that dd needs a filling in her back molar. She is a lovely dentist and really good with kids but dd was very shy in the visit and needed lots of coaxing when they did the xrays etc. Dentist has given me 2 choices - either general anesthetic or have it done in chair ... she didn't mention any form of sedation,so reckon it would involve injection etc. Could tell that dentist thought GA was the way to go, as she said she thought it would be very distressing for dd to have it done at dentist surgery.

I've only once had GA and I was really scared myself (and I was 35!) Anyone had any experience of this? And how can I prepare my dd for it?

Thanks in advance. I feel like the worst parent in the world for this ... and can't believe she needs one after all these years of brushing twice a day ... obviously wasn't doing it well enough

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If being done under GA, please make sure it is in a proper hospital and not just some dental centre. GA need to be treated with respect - especially where little people are concerned - so you want to be somewhere where if, God forbid, something went wrong there were experts on hand to deal with it.

Thanks Willow2. It will be done in hospital I believe. I didn't ask the exact location but dentist did tell me that it couldn't be done at the surgery. (For the reasons you mention I'm sure.) It all sounds so excessive for a filling but I've been trying to imagine how they could do it without her being out, and I'm sure the dentist is right. Just don't know what to tell dd or how to help her prepare for it.

Does she really have to have it filled? My dentist won't fill first teeth - he says he tries to leave them alone unless they're causing pain as children are usually too squirmy to get a good job done.

He won't remove first teeth either - he keeps them in as long as possible to use as placeholders for adult teeth.

Don't beat yourself up about it - my dses brush morning and night, don't eat many sugary foods, hardly ever have fizzy drinks etc. and still ds2 has dodgy enamel. It happens. At least it's a baby tooth that will drop out soon anyway.

Yes, Badhair, dentist said it had to be filled. She will probably have this tooth until she is about 10, and the decay could spread to neighbouring tooth and even affect the new tooth underneath. She also said we need to keep the tooth as a placeholder otherwise it would affect the others growing in.
Will have it done after we get back from hols in a few weeks.

DS2 has just (3 weeks ago!) had 7 fillings and one tooth removed under GA, 2 days after his 6th birthday We had a bit of a problem cleaning his teeth .I was too busy sorting DD out to supervise the DSs brushing properly and it all went horribly wrong Ds2 has a very small mouth and a big fear of anything oral, won't even eat anything unless he has it in small pieces.

Our dentist did two fillings with no sedation as she thought that the injections would be to scary, after that he wouldn't even open his mouth for her to examine him. He would just lay there with his mouth shut and big tears rolling down his cheeks....needless to say I felt like the crappest mother ever

Anyway, we were referred to our local Dental hospital, and tbh it was the best thing ever for us. DS2 was seen by final year students so they knew what they were doing, but were new enough to be very very sympathetic and kind to him.

DS2 was very calm about the whole thing. I explained that they would sort his teeth out whilst he was asleep and he was quite happy with that.

90% of the whole procedure was great. The nurses were lovely. DS was in for about an hour, he was pain free when he woke up, bright and chirpy within 1/2 hour. He was back at school in 2 days as if nothing had happened.

Crappy 10%
DS2 freaked when they did the blood test at the preop - I had to hold him down for them to do it.
Consquently I opted for him to be knocked out with gas (he has an inhaler, and was happy with the idea of using the mask like his old spacer) once again though he freaked and I had to hold him down again whilst they held the gas over his face. Not fun, I bawled once they took him through, but he doesn't remember anything about it now. Last thing was that he wet himself whilst he was under, and I'd left his shorts and pants on, which meant I had to wait for my Dh to cycle from North to South London via a woolies to buy him some shorts before we could go home

I would do it again, although hopefully we won't have to. DS2s tooth brushing is now spot on according to the hospital.

If there's anything specific you want to know just ask

hi my son recently had two teeth out with sedation, it was really quick they were great dentists, and it hasn't worried him at all. comeoveneer is great a dental dilemas

Thanks for the detail Serenity. That really helps.

I know that dd will be frightened when they give the gas. Don't know how best to prepare her for that ... she hasn't ever had inhaler. Also injections will also scare her and she's never had blood taken. But I think that the experience will have best overall outcome if we go the GA route.

I think I might seach for a book that talks about operations/hospital visits as I find that if I prepare her she is usually able to cope well with new situations. This one is something that I would also be aprehensive about, so I really sympathise.

Thanks southeastastra for your experience too.

DS1 has no enamel on his teeth and had a filling and a tooth removed under GA. My dentist wanted it done at the hospital so that he didn't associate it with the dentist and develop a fear of going there. He had had general before so I knew what to expect, ask for anti nausea drugs (the injection is given once they are under) as the first time DS was very sick both in the hospital and on the way home in the car. He was at school the morning of the op and back the next day. Its not a nice experience but definately not as bad as you fear.